New Beginnings
by Joyce3
Summary: Sara comes to Vegas and finds that investigating Warrick is not as easy as she thought it would be... A new WS story. I updated the story...chapter six is up.
1. A first impression

Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: They are still not mine.

Note: I decided to go back in time for my new story. This story begins when Sara first comes to Las Vegas. It will follow the original stories and cases of the first season but with one big difference: Sara finds herself being attracted to Warrick from the first moment she sees him. This story is a rewrite of season one, meaning that it will be AU pretty quickly once the story progresses. I hope you all enjoy this new Swarrick story and I promise that it will have none of the darkness that Choices had! As always, please tell me what you think!

A first impression

Coming to Las Vegas had seemed like a great idea when Grissom called her but now, only a few hours after she had arrived, she wasn't that sure anymore. The team had not welcomed her with open arms because she was investigating one of them. Warrick was a part of their family and she was a stranger from San Francisco, having to solve problems that were not hers to begin with. She had to do this though, she owed Grissom that much. She had been lost until he had showed up in her classroom and told her all about forensic science. From that moment on, she had a goal in life.

Stepping into the casino Sara took of her sunglasses and let her eyes get used to the dark, smoky, surroundings. This place was a dive she mused and her contempt for Warrick, a man she knew only through a hazy picture that Grissom had given her, grew. She looked around, trying to find him and finally spotted him ten feet away from her. And while she knew who she was looking for she was not prepared for what she saw in front of her. She had expected a somewhat geeky man, a scientist, but he looked nothing like that. Sitting there was a tall, handsome and muscular man and Sara was a bit confused by these turn of events.

She steeled herself and took a deep breath, determined to do her job no matter what he looked like. Approaching him she found him debating whether to hit or stay in a game of blackjack and she made the decision for him.

"Stay," she told him, surprised by the fact that her voice sounded strong while her heart was racing. "I need to talk to you."

Angry green eyes looked up at her and she held her breath for a moment, if his body wasn't confusing enough then his eyes definitely were.

"Who are you?" he asked her in a low tone and she swallowed a bit before she shook his hand, not trying to feel the shiver that ran across her spine once they touched.

"I'm Sara Sidle," she answered and a look of recognition crossed over his features, apparently Grissom had already told his protege about the investigation she was assigned to.

"Welcome to Vegas," he replied shortly, gesturing around in a sarcastic manner. "You're gonna love it here." His face spoke of contempt and hate but she sensed that it wasn't meant for her, he was directing it at himself.

"Can we get a cup of coffee somewhere?" she asked him, still in the same cold tone because she sensed that she needed to protect herself from him.

"Sure," he replied, inning his winnings before they left the casino and they walked the short distance on the Strip in silence, with her observing the way he walked. It looked like he didn't have a care in the world, he took his time to get to where he wanted to be. To an outside observer he looked like a cool, relaxed man but she saw trough the facade. Noticed that his hands were shaking a little and that there was a certain look in his eyes that she could only describe as guilt.

Sitting down at the counter she glanced at the man sitting next to her.

"You were playing a hundred on every spot," she told him, "Do you have a system?"

He didn't look at her when he replied with a shrug. "Counting cards," he confessed.

"Isn't that illegal?" she said in a somewhat harsh tone, really not getting why a CSI, who was as brilliant as Grissom had described him to be, would throw his life away like this.

"Not if you do the math in your head," he grumbled, obviously not wanting to talk about.

"Do you play anything else?" she retorted, still trying to have eye contact with him but finding him looking everywhere but at her.

"I bet sports from time to time," he said with a sigh that told her that Warrick Brown was anything but a patient man.

"So," she drawled while trying to rationalize the effect this man was having on her nerves, "You were assigned by Brass to shadow a trainee, a robbery comes up and you go for coffee?"

"An officer was there," he mumbled slightly uncomfortable, almost like he had told himself that a thousand times already.

"So you felt save to leave," Sara concluded, "Do you know the policies and restrictions for clearing a scene?"

"Yes," he answered shortly and she knew that he was running out of patience.

"So, why did you leave?" she asked him again. "What was so important that you had to rush out of there?"

"I told you," he said , "I went for coffee."

Him ignoring her like that was driving her crazy and she decided to pull out the big guns, wanting some answers, needing him to look at her while they were talking.

"Was that before or after you made your bets?" she asked with venom and when he didn't reply she continued; "Sunday, NFL, football...C'mon, are you trying to tell me that a guy like you didn't make a little pit stop?"

He just shook his head, still not saying anything and for the first time in her life Sara Sidle had found someone who could be just as stubborn as she was. "Look at me," she ordered, "Did you log on? Tell anybody where you were going?"

He finally looked at her and she felt a small victory for getting him to acknowledge her presence. "Do you know how many times I was left alone at a crime scene as a rookie?" he spitted out, her green eyes shooting daggers at her and she mused once again that eyes like that should be illegal.

"Yeah well, this time its different," she told him and he rubbed his head in a tired manner. "Why is that?" he asked her and she hesitated, knowing that she had to shock him to get to the truth but not wanting to hurt him either.

"Holly Cribbs died on the operating table twenty minutes ago," she said like she was telling him what time it was and when he looked at her and she saw the hurt and shock in his eyes she cringed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, surprising both him and herself by grabbing his hand. She didn't know why she did that, all she knew was that she had felt the need to make it better.

He looked at her for a moment before he stood up, letting go of her hand with a gentleness that touched her.

"Don't be," he whispered, "Just tell Grissom that I screwed up and that I'm sorry."

She watched him walk away and frowned, not getting why she cared so much.

* * *

A couple of hours later Sara found herself surrounded by her new team, watching the police take away the murderer of Holly. One by one the team left the spot to go home but she couldn't get herself to move, her eyes glued to the person standing there all alone, not moving at all. Grissom had decided to let him stay and she had mixed feeling about that. Her mind knew that Warrick had made a mistake, was addicted to gambling and it was a risk keeping him on the team but her heart...Her heart wanted nothing more but to be near him and she feared the effect he had on her.

"You should go home, Warrick," she said to him, approaching him carefully and he turned his head in surprise at her presence.

"I guess we're both staying," he responded in tired manner, shaking his head. "Why did he decide to let me stay?" he asked her and she shrugged.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I advised him to fire you."

He grinned a little and she watched him in fascination, happy that he didn't smile all that often because it was not helping her nerves at all.

"You were absolutely right," he mused before he straightened his back a little. "I'm going to prove to him that his faith in me is justified," he mumbled and she knew that he was making a promise to himself.

"Good luck with that, Warrick," she told him with a small smile and she turned around to go back to her hotel room, knowing that she had a lot to do. She needed to find a home, adjust to her new job.

"Sara," he called after her and she turned around.

"Welcome to the team," Warrick told her. "I'm sure having you around is going to be interesting."

She just nodded and continued her way, a small smile on her face.

Tbc...


	2. A work in progress

Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

Note: Thank you for the reviews I got for the first chapter! I love you all. Also, I decided to write this story in a different format. Each chapter will be written in the perspective of either Sara or Warrick. Chapter one focused on Sara, this chapter is about Warrick and how he sees things. The next chapter will be about Sara and then...you guessed it, it's a chapter from Warrick's point of view. I'm not really good in explaining it but you people are smart, you'll figure it out. Enjoy!

A work in progress

'_My grandmother used to call me a work in progress' _Warrick had told James his grandfather just now and he smiled a little while he rounded the corner. His case, the first one he had been assigned to after Holly died, had been tough. It had reminded him of the life he used to live with his grandmother and all the things he had done to make sure that she would be ok.

Gambling had been one of those things, at the time he had thought that his winnings would help them both. It would give her some financial freedom and it would give him...It had given him nothing he now realized. Warrick Brown was always searching for challenges and for a while gambling gave him the thrill he needed. Now his biggest challenge was his decision to not gamble anymore. He hadn't realized how hard it was going to be, he had never realized that gambling had become a part of his daily routine and he was missing it. He was missing it more then he was willing to admit and he hated it the feeling of loss he was having.

Sighing, he entered Grissom's office, seeing that his boss was not there and he hesitated for a moment. He knew that Grissom wouldn't mind and so he picked up the phone, smiling when he heard her familiar voice.

"Hey, grams," he greeted her and then he just listened to his grandmother talking. "No," he finally said, "I'm not hurt and nothing is wrong. I just felt the need to talk to you."

He heard a noise behind him and found Sara Sidle standing in the doorway of the office.

"I gotta go, grams" he said in a warm tone. "I'll see you soon, ok. I'll drop by after shift."

He sensed that Sara was looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and something he couln't quite place. "I love you too," he told his grandmother before he put down the phone and turned to his new co-worker. "Hey," he welcomed her a little awkwardly, not really comfortable with the fact that she had heard parts of a private conversation.

Sara raised her eyebrows but said nothing on the subject and he was thankful for that.

"How was your shift?" she asked him and he shrugged. "Difficult," he admitted, "It was one of those cases where the truth will not set you free."

She nodded, silent and sat down in one of the chairs in Grissom's office while he just watched her. Not really knowing what to think of her, their first meeting had been strange. She had come across as someone who was judgmental and stubborn but then she had grabbed his hand and in that short moment she had seemed..._beautiful_. Like she was now, sitting there lost in her thoughts. He shook his head in a short, angry, gesture. He had enough problems right now and the last thing he needed were feelings for a co-worker. She was pretty, yes, but he had seen a lot of beautiful woman in his life who had not scared him like she did. Her voice shook him out of his trance.

"I never expected to like it here as much as I do," she said with bright, sparkling eyes and he couldn't help but smile at her, secretly liking the way she was blushing and smiling back at him.

"I take it your case went well?" he asked her and she nodded. "It was not easy," she commented, "But we managed to nail the bad guys." She paused a little. "Grissom is very interesting to work with," she finished and he just nodded.

"He's the best," was his only reply and he meant it. Grissom had been his mentor from the moment he had stepped into this lab. He had took him out in the field, had guided him when necessary and he had trusted him above all. Next to his grandmother, Grissom was the first person who had took the time to get to know him. Something that was odd when he considered the fact that he knew nothing about Grissom himself. The man was an interesting mix of conflicting emotions but Warrick respected his boss just the same.

"Do you want to grab some breakfast?" Sara asked him and he did not bother to mask his surprise.

"You want to have breakfast?" he asked her. "With me," he added rather stupidly and she grinned. "Do you see anyone else in this room?" she teased him and he shook his head slowly, trying to read her mind, searching for her motives but she was guarding her feelings well and he found nothing.

"Breakfast would be nice," he eventually told her, deciding that spending a little time with her was not a bad thing. They had to work together after all and getting to know your co-worker was a very sensible thing to do. He knew that this wasn't his only reason for coming with her though. He liked her and he liked spending time with her.

"Ok," Sara said, smiling at him again and he was glad that she didn't smile all that often, it was making him think that she was beautiful again and he didn't want to think that. She was his colleague and he could not think of her as beautiful. It was never a good idea to be attracted to your co-worker, especially not one that had been brought in to investigate him and had wanted him fired from his job.

"Let's go," Warrick said, deciding that he had done enough thinking for one day. "So, what do you want to eat?" he asked her.

"I'm dying for some good pancakes," she admitted with a little grin on her face. "They had the best in San Francisco but I haven't been able to find a place with the perfect pancakes in Las Vegas."

"Your troubles are over, my lady," Warrick exclaimed dramatically. "You are looking at a Vegas native and one who knows where you can find the best pancakes in town. Follow me and I'll show you heaven."

"Really?" she asked suggestively and he just winked at her, enjoying their easy banter.

Half an hour later Warrick was looking at Sara with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "Easy, Sidle," he commented dryly, "I'm not going to steal your pancakes, you don't have to eat them all in five minutes."

"These are great!" she said with a mouth full of food, which made him laugh. "The best ever, they even beat the ones in San Fran."

"Go Vegas," he muttered but she didn't hear him, being to busy taking another bite of her pancakes. Eventually she put down her fork and leaned back in her seat with a satisfied smile on her face. "You really showed me heaven," she sighed and Warrick waggled his eyebrows. "Could you please tell that to Nick tomorrow, I keep telling him that I can show women heaven but he never believes me."

She laughed and shook her head. "You're on your own there, Brown," she told him and they were silent for a while before she spoke again.

"Is your grandmother important to you?" she asked him and Warrick looked up from his eggs, seeing a genuine sign that she cared in her eyes.

"Yes," he answered simply. "She raised me when my mom died, she encouraged me to be the best I could be. She's my family," he finished with a small smile and she studied him for a while.

"Why did you call her today?" she eventually asked and he shrugged. "I guess the case made me think of her," he answered. "She always calls me her work in progress," he added and he couldn't figure out why he told her that but she just nodded and he finished his eggs.

He had already paid the bill when she grabbed his hand again, forcing him to look at her.

"She did a good job," she said and Warrick shrugged, not really believing her. Sara released his hand and stood up. " You're not a work in progress anymore, Warrick," she whispered. "You'll make it, I know you will."

She left him to finish his coffee alone and he watched while she walked to her car, seeing the way her hair shined in the light of the morning sun. He couldn't help it, she looked beautiful again.

Tbc...


	3. Naughty boy

Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Nope, they are still not mine. Yeah, I don't get it either.

Note: I hope you guys enjoy chapter three. I must say that I like writing this story. I kinda feel like I can start fresh with both the characters and that is a good feeling to have. As always, thank you for all the responses and don't hesitate to leave me more reviews. They make me happy...lol...

Naughty boy

Coming into work a week later Sara hadn't seen much of Warrick. He had been busy in the lab while she had been out in the field with Grissom, working a case. They had only greeted each other in passing and she kinda missed talking to him, having enjoyed their breakfast and the way he had opened up to her. She would have never guessed that Warrick Brown was a loving family man but apparently his grandmother meant the world to him and something about that dedication had made her heart flutter a bit.

Sara walked into the locker room, her mind not ready for the sight she was about to see. In front of her were Nick and Warrick, both shirtless. The latter one in the process of putting on a grey suit.

"Fine suit," she told Warrick, trying very hard not to stare at his bare chest that he was covering up quickly by getting dressed. "And just fine," she added to Nick, who had made no move to dress himself and gave her a teasing smile after her comment.

"I'm late for court," Warrick mumbled and he rushed out of the room, leaving her to stare after him. "What's with him?" she asked her partner for the shift that night and Nick shrugged.

"He's tired and irritated about going to court I guess," he answered before he paused, "Why? Do you want to make him a bit happier?"

She blushed a little and Nick's teasing smile intensified.

"So," she said hastily, changing the subject. "Grissom told me we're working together and that you would fill me in on the case. Tell me partner, what's on the menu for our second shift in a row?"

Nick winked at her. "We're going back to college, honey," he grinned.

Several hours later Sara paced the halls in the lab, angry by her case and the idiotic violence she had seen in that fraternity house. A boy had been choked to dead because he had tried desperately to fit in and his killer had been an arrogant prick. Raised with money while having no regard for life what so ever. Getting him had giving her a brief moment of satisfaction, she knew that he would be convicted for murder but that didn't change the fact that a young man had been killed for no apparent reason.

Turning around she spotted Warrick walking towards her, a tired slump in his shoulders and wearing a black t-shirt with brown pants to match. It looked good on him she observed before she reprimanded herself, he looked like he needed a friend, he didn't need her lusting after him.

"Hey, Warrick," she greeted him softly and he looked up and gave her a small grin. "Sidle," he greeted her back and normally the use of her last name would have angered her but there was something in the way he said it that made her smile.

"Tough night?" she asked him while she joined him on his way to the locker room.

"I don't really know yet," he answered vaguely and she frowned.

"Want to talk about it over breakfast?" she questioned. "I could use some decent food before I go to bed. Food always helps after a double shift, we need our vitamins," she babbled and she cursed herself while he raised his eyebrows and looked down at her, a twinkle in his green eyes that she couldn't really understand.

"We do need our vitamins," he agreed and they grabbed their personal belongings before they left the lab. "You want to do the pancakes again?" Warrick wanted to know and she nodded and smiled, she had been dying for those pancakes all week but hadn't found the time to go there again.

"Pancakes are great," she responded and she was confused when he laughed. "Right," he commented, "Because they're full of vitamins."

She got in her car and narrowed her eyes at him. "Just get in your car and drive, Brown. I'm hungry." He winked at her before he walked to his car, parked a couple of feet from hers, and she told herself to stop reacting like she was now. He was someone she worked with and there was no need to act all silly whenever he winked at her.

Half an hour later they were sitting in the same spot they had occupied before. "Good?" Warrick asked her and Sara could only nod, wondering if there was anything better then these pancakes. Glancing at the man that was sitting across from her she figured that their were a lot of things better then these pancakes, among them...She shook her head and stopped her thoughts, angry by the fact that now her dreams seemed to continue while she was awake. You did not think about a naked co-worker while you were having breakfast with him, that was not the professional thing to do she told herself. She noticed Warrick talking and frowned.

"Huh?" she said distracted and he smiled again in that same manner, like he knew all about her secret and didn't mind at all.

"I was asking you if your case was tough," Warrick repeated patiently and she shrugged. "I'm glad I never joined a fraternity," she answered. "It was a pointless murder but we got the bastard."

He nodded, "That's good," he commented and Sara decided that she wanted to know why he looked like his favorite puppy had just died.

"What happened tonight, Rick," she said in a low tone, not wanting the other customers to hear them and it was his turn to shrug.

"I made sure that another bastard ended up in jail too," he told her and she raised her eyebrows. "While you were at court?" she needed to know and he sighed.

"There was this judge that blackmailed me because I had made a bet for him when...when Holly died," he finished, not looking at her. "Tonight he wanted me to contaminate evidence in a rape case because he owed the family of the rapist and I made sure that he was arrested."

"That's a good thing," Sara told him, grabbing his hand again, something that had become a ritual for them. "You did the right thing," she repeated and Warrick shook his head.

"Yeah," he said, not sounding very convinced. "But I hesitated, Sara. This man is powerful and what I did tonight could make life very difficult for me and I hesitated...I almost took the easy way out. Again," he emphasized, obviously mad at himself.

She forced him to look at her.

"But you didn't, " she whispered. "You made a courageous decision and showed him that you could not be messed with. Don't beat yourself up over this, Warrick. Anybody would have hesitated in this situation. You're trying to become a better person, not a saint."

He laughed after hearing her last comment and she was fascinated while watching him. When Warrick Brown laughed he seemed like a different person, like he was carefree and ready to show you places you had never seen before in your entire life.

"I would not be a good saint," he said, still grinning a little.

"Oh, really?" she grinned back, his laughter contagious. "Are you telling me that you can be a naughty boy?"

He winked again, his thumb stroking her hand in a manner that was suddenly not friendly at all. She felt like her hand was on fire.

"Maybe I'll show you someday, Sidle," he said, his voice low and sounding way to sexy for Sara's current piece of mind.

He got up after paying their bill, leaning down next to her. His breath on her cheek and his voice in her ear.

"But not today," he drawled. "If I ever want to get naughty with you, Sidle...I need to be fit."

He straightened his back and smiled at her once again, in a slow seductive manner. "_Real_ fit," he added and he left the diner while she stared after him, seeing him look back and grin one more time before he drove off and she couldn't help it. She wanted him to be fit so desperately that no pancake could erase this hunger she was having right now...

Tbc...


	4. Be scared

Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Still not mine, who would have thought...

Note: Thank you all for reading this story and commenting on it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always, please review! It makes me smile and that's always a good thing, right: )

Be scared

With a sigh Warrick Brown opened the door of his home. He was doing everything he could to walk into his house and not get out there. The casino's were screaming at him, he could almost hear the sounds of the machines, feel the thrill of placing a bet. He had a bad shift tonight and all he wanted to do was reach out to what he knew, the safety of gambling. He didn't though, he entered his home and cooked himself breakfast. Thinking of pancakes with a smile, his last breakfast with Sara had been interesting. He remembered the look on her face when he had flirted with her, she had looked flushed and shy. She had never looked more beautiful.

Warrick had avoided her the rest of the week, afraid by what she could make him feel. She was making him feel like he could be a better person and he wasn't ready for that because he knew it wasn't true. He was still fighting his demons, every minute of the day. He crashed down on the couch and ate his eggs in silence with no TV or radio on to disturb him. He was startled when the phone rang and reached for it with a frown, not that anxious to talk to anybody.

"Warrick Brown," he said shortly and he heard a familiar sigh on the other side of the line.

"I'm standing in front of your door right now," he heard her say and he couldn't help but smile, even though his mind was screaming for her to get away from him and his home. He wasn't good enough for her. "Should I knock on the door?" was her question and Warrick closed his eyes in defeat. "Knock," he answered.

Seconds later he opened the door and Sara was standing there, shuffling with her feet and looking very much like she didn't know what she was doing. He could relate to that, he had no clue what he was doing either.

"Hey," he greeted her, resisting the urge to grab her and kiss her and he stepped inside and let her in.

She looked around and he watched her while she took in his home. "It's different from what I would expect," she told him honestly and he shrugged. "I like it like this," he defended himself, knowing that nobody expected him to have a picture of his grandmother on the mantle and a piano in the living room.

"Can you play?" Sara asked him and Warrick just nodded, thinking of times when he had played for his grandmother, just because she loved to hear him play. His grandmother was his biggest fan and the only one he would play for. "I can," he finally answered, not saying anything else on the subject and he hoped that she would get it.

She nodded and turned around and once again Warrick felt that she understood him, she knew exactly what to ask and when not to push. It was almost like she had been in his life forever, even though it had only been a couple of weeks and that thought scared him.

"She's beautiful," Sara said and he focused his attention back to her, a proud grin on his face when he noticed the picture she had in her hand. "They both are," he replied, referring to his mother, who was standing next to his grandmother in the picture she was holding.

"Do you still miss her, even after all this time?" he heard her ask him and he hesitated for a moment. "I don't really remember my mum," he confessed, " Just some little things, like her hugs or the way she would smell."

"I'm sorry, Warrick," she mumbled and he looked away from those eyes, afraid that he would see something in them that he wasn't ready for.

"So, why are you here?" he asked her, plastering a fake smile on his face and hoping that they could fall into their routine of easy banter because then...Then he could pretend that Sara was just another woman he was flirting with and not the woman that had not left his mind for a single minute in the last couple of weeks.

"I heard about your case," was Sara's answer and he nodded in understanding. "Are you ok?" she wanted to know while taking a step closer to him and he wanted to back away but found that he couldn't.

"It was rough," he said with a wave of his hand. "That poor kid, having to find out that he killed his best friend and all because of..." He trailed off. "I wish we could have nailed that idiotic drugs dealer for murder," he spatted out, "But he got out with no charges and walked away while laughing in our face."

"You'll get him sometime," she assured him and she took another step closer. "I hope so," Warrick mumbled, not really focusing on the conversation anymore but lost in the fact that she was standing way to close.

"Right," he almost screamed, his feet finally moving. "So, were you hoping that I was fit today, Sidle?" he teased her while walking into the safety of his kitchen to get her something to drink.

"Pfff," he heard her reply. "I don't really trust guys that boost about their performance. Usually they do that to make up for certain...insecurities they have."

He laughed in the kitchen and then poked his head out from around the corner, narrowing his eyes at her. "Are you implying that I can't perform?" he wanted to know while he felt the smile on his face and he found it cute when she blushed.

"That could be the case," she answered bravely and he could almost see her telling herself to remain calm.

Warrick shook his head, amazed by the fact that she managed to make him laugh after such a rough shift and continued his teasing.

"You are just hoping that I come in there, scoop you up, carry you to my bedroom and prove that you're wrong," he told her dryly and he watched in fascination, seeing her blush even more.

"Sure, Brown," was all she said and he got back in the kitchen, grinning and trying to tell his mind to stop producing the pictures they were showing him now. Making love to Sara would probably be great but it was too much and too soon and she deserved better. She would always deserve better.

"You know what, Sara," he said when he returned, "Just drink your coffee and try not to seduce me while you do that."

He had to refrain himself from laughing when he saw the way she looked at him, full of anger and something else, something that he felt too.

"I think I can manage that," she reassured him and he took a seat next to her on the couch. "How was your case?" Warrick asked and she just shrugged.

"Not that fascinating," she responded while taking a sip from her coffee. "I found out that it's better not to be dead in Las Vegas."

He raised his eyebrows, having heard about her case and smirked a little.

"It's better not to be dead, period," he told her and she nodded. "I'll drink to that," she agreed and for a while they sat in comfortable silence.

"Thanks, Sara," he said while breaking the moment and he could see the confusion on her features. "Why are you thanking me?" she wanted to know.

"You..." he stopped, not sure if he should tell her this and then he decided that he could, that he trusted her. "I was struggling to not go to the casino," he confessed and again he felt her hand on his body, this time on his leg and he tried very hard to stay focused.

"You can't beat an addiction in a couple of weeks, Rick," she whispered and he nodded. "That takes time. The important thing is, you're here and not in the casino's."

"Who needs the casino when I have you on my couch?" Warrick joked and he felt relieved when he saw her laugh and he laughed with her, needing to release some of the tension that was building up inside of him.

"We should get some sleep," she realized and he just nodded. Standing up, Sara walked to his door and he followed her, not sure what to do now. He did not really want her to go but he didn't want her to stay either, it was to dangerous. She surprised him by stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest and he wanted to struggle but he stayed where he was, in her arms. Eventually Warrick wrapped his arms around her in response, sure that she could hear the loud beating of his heart. When she released him he had trouble looking at her.

"This thing between us," Sara said, "It scares me too."

He could only look at her and she nodded. "I've never been more afraid in my life," was the last thing she told him before she was gone and he stood there.

"What are you doing to me, Sara?" he whispered to himself, staring at the spot where she had been only moments before and still feeling her in his arms...

Tbc...


	5. Keeping your mind on the job

Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Note: Sorry for the long wait between updates, life got in the way. This chapter of the story revolves around episode 1.6 Who Are You? I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think. Ok, I'm off on a holiday, see you all in two weeks time!

Keeping your mind on the job

Walking into the lab the next day Sara heard about Grissom and his latest case, he had found bones under a house and he and Nicky were working the case. She envied Nick, it sounded like a hot case and Sara always liked the cases that were a challenge. Her thoughts were cut short when Grissom announced that she and Warrick were working a case together and she glanced at her partner, smiling a bit when she noticed him doing the same. She vaguely heard Grissom telling them to be careful and something about cops but her mind was to busy with the fact that they were finally working together, as a team. She and Warrick, working together. Her heart started to beat a little faster and she shook her head, trying to clear it and be the professional Sara she always was. She was not a teenager getting all giddy over a first date, she was a forensic scientist and she was working with a fellow scientist today. She nodded her head to emphasize the point she was making to herself, seeing Warrick smile in a teasing manner when he looked at her. Fellow scientists should not be allowed to look that good she mused and she got up.

"I'll meet you in the locker room," she told Warrick. "I need to grab my kit."

He nodded, giving her a wink and she blushed and left him with Grissom, who was telling him about their case. Apparently Warrick was less shaken by the events of the night before then she was. She could still feel him in her arms and everytime she looked at him it was there; that undeniable fear that told her that he was going to change her life and there was nothing she could do about it. Walking into the locker room she found Nick there.

"Hey," she greeted him, "How's your case going?"

He greeted her back with a warm smile on his face.

"Fine," he told her and she nodded once, turning to open her locker and grab her kit.

"Your case sounds hot," she said with her back to Nick and she was startled when a new voice entered the conversation.

"Don't worry, Sidle," Warrick said while leaning in the door frame, "Our case is going to be hot too."

She heard Nick chuckle behind her and turned around slowly, seeing the object of her troubles standing there with an impossible smirk on his face.

"Funny, Brown," she replied, trying to act cool for Nick's benefit but the look on his face told her that she was failing miserably.

"You guys have fun today," Nick told them both, nudging his friend on the way out. "And try to concentrate on the job," he added helpfully, not hiding his grin and they could hear his laughter when he walked away. Sara closed her eyes in defeat, sighing a bit.

"Great," she whispered, looking up and seeing that Warrick was standing right in front of her. "I hope you're happy. He's probably out there right now, telling the whole lab about us."

He shrugged, his hand reaching out and he tucked some hair behind her ear.

"I have no clue what you are talking about," he answered innocently and he managed to step even closer to her. "I was talking about the case, there is a chance that our murderer is a cop."

He paused, leaning into her and Sara held her breath and cursed him in her mind while her heart was hoping that maybe... "Why?" he continued, "What did you think I was talking about?"

She just shook her head, not really able to speak right now and he leaned down and stroked her cheek with his fingers while she felt his lips on the top of her head, placing a short kiss in her hair. "We're hot too, " he admitted, "But I would never talk about that with Nicky in the room. The guy's like a local newspaper."

He grinned and stepped away from her. "I'll see you outside," he told her. "I'm driving."

It took her a minute to regain her composure and then she smiled, following him outside. "Sure you're driving," she muttered to herself, "If hell freezes over." She then marched out of the lab, determined to get the control over her life back.

Outside she blinked in the sun, grabbing her sunglasses and searching for her partner, she found him leaning against the car with the keys in his hand. Once she approached him he reached out his hand and dangled the keys in front of her. "Do you want to drive?" he asked her and she narrowed her eyes, surprised by the sudden turn of events.

"Is this a trick?" she said while she eyed him suspiciously. Warrick shrugged, getting into the car and winking at her. "I just like to see you drive, Sidle," he admitted and she blushed. "You're cute when you're in control," he continued and she decided to get in the car and ignore him for a while if she ever wanted to concentrate on her job this shift.

"I'm sorry," Warrick said ten minutes later, breaking the silence and she turned slightly towards him, one eyebrow arched. "For what?" was her response.

"I'm teasing you," he said with a sigh, "And I shouldn't do that...It's just...you scare me."

She parked the car at the crime scene, making no move to get out. "I scare you?" she repeated in a whisper, hurt by his comment.

"Yeah," he said again before he noticed her look. "No, Sara, it's not a bad thing. I just mean...I find it difficult to see anything but you when we're together and that..." he paused, a grin breaking out, "that's scary," he finished and she laughed.

"It is," she said before she leaned over impulsively and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you're scared too," she whispered in his ear before she pulled back. "Ready to solve this crime, partner?" she changed the subject and Warrick nodded with a serious expression on his face, eyeing the crime scene and getting out of the car.

* * *

Several hours later Sara was walking in the lab when she heard yelling in the hall, walking towards the sound she found Warrick and Brass staring at each other in an eery silence.

"You want to nail my cop because you have a score to finish," Brass announced, looking at the younger man before him with contempt. "Admit it, Brown."

"No, that is not true!" Sara interrupted before Warrick could say anything. "The evidence is pointing towards your cop, we're not trying to nail anybody here." She looked at Brass in silent anger and the older man responded with a shake of his head. "Don't go there, Sara," he warned her before he walked off and gave Warrick one last look of disgust, "He'll break you."

"He just loooves me," Warrick muttered next to her and she broke out laughing. "He does," she responded, "I can tell."

"Want to go search for a bullet?" he asked her and she followed him to the garage. "Are you thinking that maybe the cop didn't do it?" she asked him and turned around. "You never know," he answered and proceeded to take of his shirt.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

He looked at her with a big smile on his face, his green eyes twinkling. "It's hot in here," he explained like she was a little kid, "This is tough work, I don't want my shirt to get all sweaty. Is that ok with you?"

She looked at his tall, muscular body in the white tank top, taking her time. "Oh, that's fine by me," Sara finally responded, wondering if these shoulders were as strong as they looked and how his arms would feel...She stopped her thoughts just in time. "Let's get to it," she told him and he repeated that in low voice. "Yeah, let's get to it," he said, never taking his eyes of hers and she had to look away and remind herself that they were at work and in a public place.

"Behave yourself, Brown," she told him before they started their job. They worked well together Sara realized, they didn't speak much but knew what the other one was doing and thinking. She liked working with him, even if it was bad for her nerves. When they finally found the bullet her eyes were sparkling in enthusiasm. "We dit it!" she told him and he looked up at her and just smiled.

* * *

An hour later Sara cleaned out her locked for the day, thinking back on her night with a smile on her face. She turned when the door opened and the subject of her thoughts walked in.

"How did your talk with Brass go?" she asked him and he shook his head. "It was lovely," he answered, "but I guess we're making progress, we didn't yell once."

"You'll guys get there someday," Sara said and she really believed that, the two man shared a passion for the job that had to overcome their anger towards each other eventually.

"Picture that," Warrick just said and she grabbed her bag out of her locker. "It was nice working with you," she told him and he looked at her for a long while.

"It was," he agreed and Sara felt like the air got thicker all of a sudden.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she managed to choke out, her voice sounding strange to her and Warrick took a step towards her. "Sleep well, Sara," she heard him say before she felt his lips on her cheek. "I like being afraid," he whispered when he pulled back and she couldn't help but smile at him before she turned to go home. Being afraid was definitely a feeling she could get used to.

Tbc...


	6. Crumbling Walls

Title: New Beginnings

Author: Joyce

Disclaimer: They are still not mine

Note: It's been awhile...ok...a long while. Life got in the way and my inspiration for this story took a long vacation...shrugs I'm getting back into the swing of this story though, starting with this chapter. This idea got me to write this story again and the next chapter will be longer. This takes place during and after 1.7 Blood Drops. Please let me know what you think!

Crumbling Walls

This was one case where he didn't mind not being in the house where the crime had taken place. Normally he wanted to see the victim, not because of morbid fascination, but to get a feel of the nature of the attack. After a while he had learned to see if a attack had been aggressive, passionate, pure hate. You could see it by the look of terror on the face of a victim. This time he had entered the house of the scene and felt nothing but sorry. Something that he had learned to shut down a long time ago because getting emotionally attached to a case was something that never helped. The walls were covered with blood though and a family had been killed, except for two daughters who had been lucky. Warrick saw the youngest girl sitting next to Sara while staring blankly ahead and had wondered how lucky the girl really had been. He was glad when Grissom told him to process the backyard, it gave him some fresh air and took him away from a house that was dark even when the sun was shining like it was now. Sara had left to take the girl to the hospital and he had noticed a look of fear on her face when they drove off. She was smart and caring but she seemed to fear kids, almost like she was afraid that they would not want to be with her. Shaking his head he cleared his mind of images of her, something that he was getting used to, and focused on his job. They had a killer to catch...

15 hours later

An exhausted Warrick entered his home, to tired to think about casino's or even a shower for that matter. He just wanted to sleep and forget about a case that had touched him more then he cared to admit. When his phone rang he debated whether or not he should pick up until he recognized the number.

"Sara?" he asked her but he just heard her breathe on the other end of the line, like she was in a panic. "Sara?" he said again. Another pause and then she spoke, softly, like she had been crying. "Could you come over?"

"I'll be right there," was his only reply and then he was out of the door. Not caring about sleep anymore but just needing to get to her. Twenty minutes later he knocked on her door. She opened it immediately and seemed scared and lost, vulnerable. "Are you ok?" he asked her, knowing full well that she wasn't but not knowing where else to begin. She just stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him. "Shhhh," he whispered, saying nothing more then that while rubbing his hands in circles on her back. He held her for a long time until she stepped away from him. Seemingly embarrassed. "It's ok," he reassured her. She nodded, not very convinced and turned around. He watched her back for a while before he looked around the living room. He saw forensic journals, a police scanner but no pictures or anything else that was personal. Nothing that told him that the warm person he had come to know as Sara lived here.

"Talk to me," he eventually said. She didn't move at all. "About anything," he finished.

"She held my hand today," she mumbled, finally turning around and looking at him. Warrick didn't need to ask who she was talking about, he knew. He nodded, silently encouraging her to carry on. "She was like a younger version of me, Rick."

"But blond," he said with a small smile and he got what he wanted, no matter how silly the comment had been, a hint of a smile in return.

"I remember being in that same place of denial, being just as catatonic," Sara admitted and he winced, sensing a hurt that she shouldn't have to carry with her because she didn't deserve it.

"When was that, Sara?" he asked her, taking a step towards her while his voice was gentle.

"A long while ago," was her vague reply and she left it at that. "Do you want a drink?" she then offered and he blinked, confused by the sudden turn of events. "Coffee is good."

"Coffee it is," she replied, disappearing into the kitchen and he took a seat on her couch. Warrick wanted to know more about her past but most of all he wanted to fix it, make it better. He was not going to make it better today though. He had seen the look on her face when she walked to the kitchen, embarrassed, determined not to show anymore of her vulnerable side. When she came back she took a seat next to him, silently handing him her coffee and he accepted it with a nod of thanks. After a while she grabbed his hand.

"Thank you," he heard her whisper, not looking at him. "I...I didn't know who to call but you."

"That's fine," he reassured her, forcing her to look at him when he put his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her head up. "Whatever else we might become," he started, "we're also friends. You can call me when you need me."

She blinked. "We're friends?" He just nodded and a hint of a smile broke out on her face. "I don't usually think about my friends like I do about you," Sara said, now with a full grin.

He grinned too, shrugging a little. "We're special friends."

She raised her eyebrows. "Is 'special' street language for sexually attracted?"

Warrick pretended to think about it. "Why not," he decided, "I think it can be."

She stood up, nodding a little and with a little more bounce in her step as she walked back to the kitchen, taking his empty glass with her. When she came back he had put on his jacket, offering her a lazy smile. "I'm dying for some sleep," he explained and that was all she needed.

"Go," she simply told him and he hesitated for a while before stepping back towards her, his hands on her shoulders. "If you ever need to talk...about anything. Call me."

Sara reached up and hugged him as an answer. "Once I'm ready," she promised and he held her for a little while longer.

"Bye," he finally offered once he had distanced himself from her and she waved. "Thanks," she said again. When he was outside he sighed and looked back at her home one last time, wanting nothing more then to go back and take her pain away. He shook his head once, telling himself that she wasn't ready. That he wasn't ready. They both had problems they needed to fix first. Walking towards his car he told himself that he would take her pain away somehow, just like she was slowly erasing his. "I promise, Sara..." he whispered to himself. This was one promise he was going to keep...

Tbc...


End file.
